Hydraulic indexing mechanism



." Patented Mar. -.231,1

UNI"rE-nf,y STAT- Es PATENr -oFF1c'a.-`ij j WALTER miams, or fiar n.wauinin,l wisconsin, Assrelvon ToJrHEfor-LGEAR com:- rm, or mILwAUxEE, w.IscoNsIN, A .CORPORATION or' wIscoNsIN.

' nYDnAULic INDnxING MECHANISM.

applicati@ filed 'June-11; ms. seria; No. 644,713; v

To all @illimitzt concern:

Be it known that I, WALTER citizen of the UnitedStates', residing at Milwaukee, in the county of Milwaukee and State of lVisconsin, have invented a certain new Aand useful Improvement, in Hydraulic Indexing Mechanism, of which the following is a full,'clear, concise, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification. This invention relates to indexing mechanism for fluidv actuated machines, such, for instance, as hydraulic presses, drills and other reciprocating machine tools.

One object of the present invention ,is the lprovision of an, indexing mechanism designed to operate in .properly timed relation with respect to the working strokes of the machine and to be driven from the same pressure' source as that provided for driving the machine.

Other objects willappear from the following description of an illustrative embodiment of the invention.v

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a view inside elevation of a drill press equipped with an indexing mechanism constructed Ain accordance with thc present invention.

Figure 2 isa horizontal sectional view of the machine taken substantially on the line 2-2 of Figure 12- v For purposes of illustration and explana- I tion, the invention will be described as embodied' in 'a drill press for effecting a step by lstepgrotation f the work'tab'lethereof, although it is equallyapplicable to machines' of .other types and may beemplloyed to advantage in connect-ion with work feed mechfanisms of other forms or.l for efecting'a .step by 'step rotationof a tool carrying turret or the 1ike.-

Y; .The machine shown is a verticalpmultiple .flspindle drill press of a vwell known type'.

leoni-prises the vusual head 10, carrying I' the *several =tools 11, and mounted for vertical reciproction .u upon the standard 12.

C 'The-toolsfare jdriven-in the usualmanner 'rom a pulleyjshaft` 13, through the bevel l 13; .gears- ,14' and Vvertical shaft 15,' having -splined connections .with one of the gears 14 and journaled in the head 10. The machine shown is also equipped with the usual work rotatably'niounted an FERRIS, a 'i degree-position of the lever, pump displaceappropriate basel? so as Vtope'rmi't a step l by step advance ofthe workcarried there-v,

by into operating position beneath the tools.-

-The parts thus far referred to are old andv well known in the art and need not b'e further described:`

Reciprocation of the head ,10 toward and from the work is effected in lthis inst-ance by a piston 18 working ina cylinder 19 fixed to the top of the standard 12. The piston is provided with the usual piston rod 20 connected as at 21 with the head 1'0. The opposite ends of thecylinder are respectively connected through pipes 22 and 28' with an appropriate source of hydraulic pressure in the form of a pump 24C. The

pump is of well known type. That shown isl a constant speed, reversible, variable .delivery pump, such as described in my copen'ding application Serial No. 460,184, filed April 11, 1921. It will suilice here tc say that the direction and rate offiow of fluid from the pump shown is controlled by a hand lever 25. This lever is movable through an arc of approximately one hundred and eighty degrees from the full line to the dotted line position shown. VVhenun the full/line position, fluid is delivered underv Vpressure and at a maximum 'rate through the -pipe 22 to the lower end of the cylinder 19. This causes an upward travel of the piston 18 and-head 10 at av maximum rate, the fluid from the upper end of the cylinder returning to the pump through pipe 23. 7

Then the handle is shifted into thedotted line position, a 'maximum flow of fluid in the. other direction occurs and the pistonand head 10 travel downwardly at maximum rate. At the intermediate or ninety ment is zero and the piston and head'remain stationary.- To effect a slowtravel of l the head in either direction the handle is adjusted to a position a little on die side or y the otherof theneutral position.

'"As above pointed out, the present invention providesfor the indexing of the work table-16. in properly timed relation withre'- spect to the movements of the .tool carrying j head 10.' Althoughl this may be accomplished in. various ways, the mechanism` vabout to be described is well adapted for .this .purpose This mechanism includes a i piston 26 working in a horizontal cylinder 27 secured to the standard 12 adjacent the work table. This piston is provided with a piston rod 28 connected through a link 29 with an arm 30. Arm 30 is mounted to swing about the axis ot rotation of the table and within a cut away portion 31 formed in the top of the supporting base 17 immediately beneath the table. A spring pressed pawl 32 carried by the'arm cooperates with ratchet teeth 33 formed in the bottom face ot the table. Stop lugs 34 and 35 formed on the base 17 limit the swinging movement of the arm. The arrangement is such that when the arm swings under the action of the piston 26,

from the limiting position shown, the table rotates therewith through an arc substantially equal to the distance between successive teeth 33, and when vthe arm is returned by the piston to the position shown the pawl 32bengages behind the next tooth 33 on the vta e.

In order to accurately position the table after each partial rotation thereof, an indexing pin 36 of usual form is provided for 4engagement successivelyV with tapered. sock- ..ets 37 formed in the table. The indexing pin is mounted for vertical reciproc'ation in the base 17 and is provided with a stem 38 connected with, a piston 39 workingin a cylinder 40 secured to the base.' The pin is pressed upwardly and yieldably retained in socket engaging position by a coiled spring 41 surrounding the stem 38, and is withdrawn from that position by the action of the piston 39 under pressure derived through a small capacity tube 42 connected with the upper end of the cylinder 40; Tube 42 is connected with one end 43 of the cylinder 27. v

The piston 26 is actuated by fluid pressure derived from the pum 24 and automatically controlled by the ead 10. .'In this instance la four way piston valve is employed. This valve includes a double headed piston 44 working in a 'cylinder bore 45. The twol ends of the cylinder bore 45 are both connected with one end 43 of the cylinder27 through a pipe 46. The other end of a cylinder 27 is-connected Ythrough a pipe 47 with L an intermediate portion of the bore 45.

, Pipes 48 and 49 'eli'ect communication be- Vtween the pipes 22 and 23, respectively, and the cylinder bore-at points on either side of the plpe connection 47 The arrangement i is such that when the piston .valve is in the `diate vportion of the cylinder bore.

full line ositionshown communication is establishe between pipes 22 and 46 through the lower endfof the cylinder bore and-between pipes 23 and 47 through the interme- And ' when the piston valve isr lowered to the dotted line position shown pipe 23 communicates with pipe 46 through 4the upperlend of the cylinder bore and pipe 22 communicates with pipe 47. f

lThe position of the piston valve is con- -trolled by ,a lever 50 pivotally mounted as i at 51 uponthe standard 12 with one end 52 thereof normally project-ing into the path of movement of the head 10. The other end 53 of the lever is connected with the stem 55 of the piston valve. A spring 54 yieldably. retains the lever inthe full line position while the head 10 is in the lower portion of its path of travel. In its upward movement, however, the head engages the end 52 of the lever and rocks it into the dotted liney posi-- tion shown, in which position it is retained until the head has again 'moved downwardly end 43 of cylinder 27 from the pipe 22 through the pipes 38 and 46. VDue to the small capacity of the tube 42, however sutticient fluid has not been supplied to the cylinder 40 to withdraw the index-ing pin 36 from locking engagementwith the work table 16. As the head starts its upward travel the table is thus held byv the pin against rotation until suiicient time has elapsed for the tools to clear the work, The

instant the pin is withdrawn, however, the V piston 26 starts moving to the left, under the existing pressure in the end'43 of itscylinder, and the arm 30 is swung into its limiting position against the stop l35. This, of course, causes a simllar clockwise rotation ot the table, due to the engagement of the pawl 32 with one of the teeth 33 thereof.

Thereafter, the head 10 in its upward travel engages the end 52 of lever 50 and rocks this lever soas to shift the valve 44 into the dottedline position shown. This movement of the valve opens communication between pipes 46 and pipe 24, in which lon7 pressure exists, thus relieving the pressure in the end 43 of cylinder 27 and in the tube 42 and cylinder 40 so that the indexing pin is free to be pressed by the spring 42` into locking engagement with the adjacent socket 37 in the table. l The table andv work is thus,v

centered vpreparatory to the next` downward stroke of the tool carrying head. This movement of the valve also establishes pressure in the left end of cylinder 27 from pipe i 22 through pipes 48 and 47. Under this pressure, the piston 26 moves toward the right and returns the arm 30 to the lfull line position against the stop 34 with the pawl 32 in engagement with the next succeeding tooth 33.

When the table indexing operation is com- .45. relative reciprocation between said carrierV pleted, the operatorA swings the handle 25 into neutral position, thereby reducing the delivery of the. pump to zero and arresting the movement of the head 10. To begin a working stroke the handle is yshifted into the vdotted line position thereby causing a flow of fluid throu h lipe 23 from thepump to the upper end o c y inder 19, iiuid returning to thepump from the lower. e'nd. of the cylinder. 19 through pipe 22. -The head 10 in its downward movement again asses outl of engagement'with the end 52 o lever 50 ,thus permitting this lever and valve 44'to.

.- and the engagement of pawl 32 with the adreturn to the full line'position shown. During this downwardmovement of the head the table is retained viiifixed position by the indexing pinl and the arm 30 is held against movement in leither direction by the stop 34 jacent tooth 33.

Various changes may be made in the em-' i bodiment of the invention hereinabove de-A scribed, without departing' from .or sacri? ficing any of the'advantages of the invention as defined in the, appended claims.

I claim:

' 1. In a machine of the character described i i having a tool carrier and work'support the .combination of -h draulically actuated .feed mechanism for e ecting relative reciprocation between said carrierand support, a

" variable displacement pum for driving saidl mechanism and for contro ling thespeed of o .erationthereof, indexing mechanism, and uid connections' between said said indexing mechanism fore ectin a l intermittent operation thereof in time relation with'- respect to theoperationof said.

feed mechanism. i 2.. In a machine off the character described having a tool earner-and work sup ort,the

combination of av variable.A disp acement pump mechanism actuated and controlled by vfluid delivered by said pump lfor effecting and support; indexing mechanism actuated by fluid delivered by said lum and means responsive to movementjo sai irstfnamed mechanism'for controlling the operationv of said indexing mechanism.

ump and.' i? n'thedcombinaticn of a rotatable support, .a

flatch forelocking said support against rota- 3. In a machine of the character described.

havin a toolcari-ier and work support, the.

combination of a yvariable delivery pump,

hydraulic means actuated and vcontrolled vby towardfand from. the work, hydraulically coi'mectionsbetweensaid pum yand mecha#v nism,inc1ding 'a valve contro led ment of said carrier.

support the combination Aof a variable l-delivery puni controlled .by move-.f L

` l 50. 4. In a machine of the character described.` having a tool carrier and .rotatable-workhydraulic means actuatedand,

said pump for .roc'atmgf said carrier toward and from ft e work, hydr'aulicmeans actuated by said pump-foi' eectin-'gian intermittent rotation of'. said work support, and means including a valve between said pump and said last named'.

tion thereof.

5.5-In .a machine tool the combinationof" vfluid actuated feed mechanism .for eecting' relative reciprocation between thetool and work, fluid lactuated indexing mechanism, a variable delivery pump, fluid' connections` between said pump and each .of said mecha-i -1 nisms or operatingsai'd mechanisms, and a' valve controlled by 4said feed mechanism for mechanism.

'70 'hydraulic means for' controlling the lopera. i'

lcontrolling the voperation 'of saidfindexing-1..

6. In a machine of the character describedthe combination of a rotatable' support,- aj;

latch for locking said support againstl rota v tion, a fluid pressure source, means actuated from said source `for rotating said support, l

means l'actuated from said source for releasing said la tcli,`and means including a re- .I 90' stricted liiuid--fpassage for .retarding the actioniof. saidl latch releasing means.

7. 'In a Aniachine' of the character described i tion, fluid actuated, means for rotating/said support, fluid actuated means forA releasing said latch, and fluid connections between said fmeans including-a 4restricted passage Vfor retarding .the action of vsaidFX latch 1re.

leasing means.

8. In a machine tocl the combination ofa-vari'able delivery pump, hydraulic mechal p .nism actuated byl said-*pump for moving the tool' toward and from the work, indexing mechanism, hydraulic mechanism. actuate .by said pump for automatically operating said indexing mechanism du'rin movement of the tool from the work, an delayingthe action 'of said/last named hy,-

the work. r

day 'of J une, 1923.

In. witness Whei-I'eof I 'hereunto'subscribe f WALTER nanars. I

draulic'mechanism luntil thetool has cleared 1,12 i 

